Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act

Biden Permanently Blocks Offshore Oil Drilling on Millions of Acres

Biden’s recent decision to block all future oil drilling across 625 million acres of US ocean territory is a bold move with significant long-term implications. The legality of this action hinges on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which, unusually, allows for presidential decisions under its authority to be permanent, barring Congressional intervention. This means that even a future administration, such as a potential Trump administration, would face a significant hurdle to reverse this policy, needing to change the law itself rather than simply issuing a new executive order.

This raises questions about the potential for both good and bad uses of such permanently binding presidential power.… Continue reading

Biden Permanently Bans Offshore Drilling, Defying Trump Reversal

President Biden issued an executive order permanently banning future offshore oil and gas leasing across 625 million acres of US ocean waters, citing environmental concerns and arguing the ban is unnecessary to meet national energy needs. This action, invoking the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, is designed to be difficult for a future administration to reverse, requiring congressional action. While the oil industry and some Republicans strongly opposed the move, the administration maintains the ban will have little economic impact and enjoys bipartisan support from coastal communities and governors. The decision builds on prior presidential actions to protect coastal areas from offshore drilling.

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